THE FUNCTION OF THE OVARY Oi 
pause insomnia is frequent and may be extreme—the 
pathogenic factor is often a latent hyperthyroidism. 
On the other hand, a tendency to somnolence is due to 
thyroid insufficiency. 
THE PITUITARY GLAND 
The pituitary gland is so intimately concerned with 
the proper development and maintenance of the gen- 
ital functions that an insufficiency of the pituitary 
secretion is likely to be associated with amenorrea or 
scanty menstruation. The dystrophia-adiposo-genitalis 
is supposed to be due to pituitary subsecretion—just 
as acromegaly is supposed to be due to an excess of 
secretion. But Bell points out that as amenorrhea is 
usually found in both conditions the explanation of 
the two diseases is not simple over- or under-secretion. 
Acromegaly is a condition producing masculinity and 
consequently amenorrhea. “While in dystrophia-adi- 
poso-genitalis genital atrophy is invariable, yet, if 
functional activity has existed before the disease, ac- 
tivity may return on relief of the condition by decom- 
pression or by the administration of pituitary ex- 
tract.” 7 He suggests that delayed menstruation, ac- 
companied by obesity, might be successfully treated 
with pituitary extract if the age of puberty were not 
too long past. In cases presenting obesity, mental dull- 
ness along with amenorrhea, thyroid extract followed 
by pituitary may be used. Better still, both may be 
given together. Deficiency of the pituitary secretion 
seems to cause under-development of the sex glands 
in youth and sexual inactivity in the adult.’ 
Bandler® believes that many of the functional dys- 
menorrheas are due to an excessive action of the pos- 
terior lobe. In my own experience, in one case of 
hyperovarism the periods were accompanied by terrific 
headaches. On several occasions these were markedly 
relieved by the use of pituitary whole gland. 
